Author: Steph

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Spring Cleaning in the Coop!

Main Coop after fresh bedding!

Main Coop – 3 days after putting down fresh bedding!

Here’s a little of what I’ve been up to this week:

This week gave me the perfect weather for doing a spring cleaning in the coop!  The first of the week gave us great spring-like temps, which is what I had been waiting for.  Our main coop was in desperate need of being cleaned out after the long winter.  During the winter, we have used a variation of the “deep litter” method, which is where you add fresh bedding on top of the “old” bedding periodically instead of removing the old and adding new.  This allows a bit more insulation in the colder weather.   We had already cleaned out from under the roost a few weeks ago, but, when the weather is warmer, we try to do it more often – about every 3-4 weeks.   And, it was just time to clean it out.  Since we had tackled the worst of it a few weeks ago, I was able to remove all of the old bedding in under an hour!  And, it was all moved down to garden area and spread out.  This is the really good stuff that is completely broken down & has very little “fresh” poo in it, so my garden will love it!

After all the old bedding was removed, I allows the coop to “air out” for a few hours, and my girls enjoyed several hours of free ranging! It’s so funny to watch them chasing after bugs at the beginning of spring.  I don’t think they touched their feed all day – just gorged themselves on lots of fresh, tender blades of grass & bugs!

This post is linked to:  Heritage Homesteaders Blog Hop #4

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Homemade Beef Stew

IMG_2024I love beef stew and have been making it in my Crock Pot for many years because it was so easy to throw everything together in the morning and let it do it’s thing all day. But, I recently made it in my Lodge Dutch Oven and all I can say is, “Why haven’t I been doing this all along?!”  It was so much better!  It has a nice, thick gravy, and the flavors really do meld better.  I’m pretty sure that I will be making it this way from now on.  In fact, I made it again and decided to share my recipe with you. Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take pictures throughout the process.  But, beef stew is super easy and can be ready in about an hour for dinner.  Especially, if  you keep all the ingredients on hand in your pantry.

Beef Stew (made in a cast iron dutch oven)

1 lb stew beef

4 medium-sized Russet potatoes, peeled & cubed (can also use red or gold potatoes – leave peel on, if you do)

2-3 medium-sized carrots, washed & sliced (I do not peel my carrots since most of the nutrients lie just beneath the surface of the carrot.)

1/2 cup each of dehydrated peas & corn (I have used frozen, too)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tbs.garlic – minced, optional

approx. 1 cup flour

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp. garlic powder, optional

1 Tbs. smoked paprika, optional

Place flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, & smoked paprika in a bowl – mix well.

Next, I cut my stew beef into smaller pieces (mostly just cut the pieces in half).  This lets the meat distribute better in the stew, and it makes it feel like you have more meat. Place meat into the flour mixture and coat meat thoroughly.

Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the dutch oven.  I used lard, but you can use a combination of olive oil and butter, too.  Once hot, add meat and brown.

Once your meat has browned, add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add enough hot water to fill dutch oven about half way. Add remaining ingredients, including a bit more salt and pepper.  Finish filling dutch oven with water.  Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and continue cooking until potatoes are fork tender.  Serve with fresh, hot, homemade biscuits & enjoy!

This post has been linked to:

Heritage Homesteaders

Chicken Chick Blog Hop

Homestead Blog Hop

April’s Homemaking Meal Planning Link Up

You’re Gonna Love it Tuesday

Oak Hill Homestead

Down Home Blog Hop

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2014 Garden Plans

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what I would like to do in the garden this year.  I really try very hard not to put too much of the gardening onto Brian since his schedule is so crazy, but there are just some things that I have to have his help with – such as turning & tilling the garden. Once that is done, I can take care of most of the rest of it, especially with the help of the kids.

With that being said, here are some of the things that I would like to plant this year.  Some of these, I’ve planted before, some are new to me.  I’m really wanting to expand what we grow ourselves, especially in light of the major drought in California.  I’m afraid that groceries are going to really go up & they are going to become harder and harder to afford.

What I would like to grow this year:

  • tomatoes
  • bell peppers
  • corn
  • broccoli
  • green beans
  • black beans
  • pinto beans
  • red beans
  • potatoes
  • carrots
  • lettuce
  • spinach
  • peas
  • watermelon
  • onions
  • various herbs

I will probably come back from time to time and add to this list as I think of a few other items I would like to plant.  It will also depend on when we finally get the garden area turned & tilled.

I would also like to get some strawberries planted again this year maybe a couple of apple trees before the cold weather moves back in this fall.  We shall see.